Ahhh, the mighty GS line of boxer-engine-powered adventure motorcycles. The line that made grown men dream like children again, of endless exploration in the far corners of the world, further motivated by television shows with actors and their friends satisfying their primal urges for everyone to witness on cable television. Fast forward to today, and it could be argued that the same model line is largely responsible for the meteoric rise of adventure motorcycles over the past 20 years. BMW decided to release the new bike on the 100-year anniversary of their first production motorcycle, the R32, in Malaga in the south of Spain.
This latest offering from the Bavarian manufacturer, namely, the brand-new R 1300 GS, has a tough act to follow and try to surpass its best-selling and class leading predecessor, the R 1250 GS. Alas, with BMW informing us that there are virtually no part numbers transferrable from the old model, we were hoping that the ground-up new 1300 GS is up to the challenge of setting the bar even higher in the world of street and off-road performance paired with class-leading comfort, luxury and electronic options. After all, the GS stands for Galande/Strasse (off road/road) so it should hold up its end of the bargain. We made our way to the world launch of the new 2024 flagship offering from BMW in Malaga, with an anticipated 90/10 street to off-road riding terrain mix to see if they succeeded.
While beauty is in the eye of the beholder, first thing to discuss is how the bike looks. Let’s address the elephant in the room, I am absolutely certain that the R 1300 GS will not be mistaken or confused with any other previous BMW GS model. This is due to the brand new, X-shaped LED headlight, which love it or hate it, is indeed original. While I was on the fence about the looks before I saw the bike in person, I warmed up quickly and at the end, really liked how it looked. Since we’re talking about the headlight right away, we’ll mention that in true BMW fashion, they offer an option called the Headlight Pro, which adjusts the beam direction based on the lean angle of the bike and illuminates into the turns. The new bike, also has shed 12 kg (26 lb) from the previous model and now weighs 237 kg (522 lb), which is largely due to the new chassis, the diet of the characteristic and now most powerful GS boxer power plant engine ever (8.6 lb less) and of course streamlining of the various other components. It looks narrower when looking from the front or back of the motorcycle.
The new big-bore GS comes with a new ground-up design of its unique boxer powerplant which could be dubbed one of the most unique and successful engine designs ever, that never really left the company that designed it. According to BMW, the new design is more compact than ever before thanks to a six-gear gearbox relocation from behind to under the engine and a new camshaft drive arrangement. The bore is bang on 1,300 cc in displacement. It produces 145 horsepower at 7,750 rpm up from 136 hp and maximum torque of 109 ft-lb at 6500 rpm, up from 105 ft-lb in the R 1250 GS. This was achieved by increasing the displacement by 46 cc, larger valves and higher compression ratio of 13.3:1 vs the 12.5:1 in the predecessor. This makes it by far the most powerful BMW boxer engine ever to be produced. Pair this new powerplant with the mass centralization accomplished with the gearbox move and on paper and we seem to have a winner.
Beside the boxer engine, BMW machines are also known for their unique suspension. The front EVO Telelever and rear EVO Paralever design is the calling sign of the GS 1300 R that’s been in the BMWs models for close to 30 years. For those that have never ridden a bike with this setup before, it is quite unique. BMW’s goal for this version of the bike in the off-road settings was to improve the stability of the bike in slow and loose conditions like loose rocks and sand while at the same time retaining the excellent light feel on the road and not letting it handle like a truck. They accomplished this with revised frame stiffness and redesign. For example, the rear frame is now die-cast aluminum instead of the tubular steel which adds significant rigidity to the rear triangle. A new front wheel guide with a flex element is responsible for some of the front wheel stability and the BMW engineers were really excited about this new innovation. When I asked how often you need to service the suspension, they confidently said that its minimal, they didn’t think that changing the oil is that necessary. I’m not sure about that statement since all the damping is accomplished by the low oil volume shocks that generate quite a bit of heat, but I am just reporting what the creator of this system said. The engineers did suggest that the steel disc that makes up the flex element should be inspected once a year but only replaced when its physically worn. Even though we didn’t do too much off-road in Malaga, we did give some sand and rocks a workout. More on that later.
While the Paralever and Telelever design hasn’t changed much in concept, the brand-new adaptive vehicle height control (AVHC) system is something the engineers have worked on for years, way before the R 1300 was even a glimmer in their eye. It is a revolutionary system where the bike lowers 30 mm as you come to a stop and raises when you pull away. This option is very similar in function to the Harley-Davidson Pan America system that we tested last year which is a welcome enhancement for riders with a shorter inseam.
With no clickers or knobs to turn on either the front or rear suspension, I inquired the BMW engineers on the adjustability of it. A wry smile came across their face and they launched into the details of the new Dynamic Suspension Adjustment (DSA) system. Virtually all the “clicker” adjustability as well as the new “spring rate adjustment” is done via the various suspension modes, which can also be manually overridden for more customization (not to be confused with the Ride Modes which control engine and ABS characteristics). This will especially come in handy when loading the bike up with luggage or riding two-up. We all mostly left it in the standard presets during the two days of testing as we didn’t really push the ability of the bikes off-road. One option that I would recommend to those that will be venturing off the pavement more, is to splurge for the Sport suspension. This extra option gives you an additional 20 mm of travel. My particular test bike had this, and while the stand-over height was taller, I felt the bike had a lot more clearance and suspension room for those unexpected hits like hitting a pothole, a boulder or a g-out.
When comparing the flagship model of the GS line to many offerings from the competition, one thing that sets it apart is the customization of the bike you are buying straight from the factory. Literally, there are a dozen of options and hundreds of combinations on how you can to setup the bike. The new R 1300 GS is no exception and takes this bespoke model to another level. For example, BMW offers four different seat variations that when paired with different suspension options can give many personalized comfort/performance combinations. Pair this up with the already mentioned adaptive vehicle height control, custom peg and handlebar height from the factory and you don’t have to be chasing aftermarket options for months on end. For example, you’ll be able to flat foot this adventure bike if you haven’t been blessed with a tall inseam and still have the perfect rider triangle and suspension performance.
The electronics package continues the impressive customization range with plethora of comfort and performance options that address any fussy adventure riders needs and wants. Options and features that are migrating from automobiles like the new “Riding Assistant”, consisting of Active Cruise Control (ACC), Front Collision Warning (FCW) and Lane Change Warning (SWW) are now becoming common on the adventure flagship bikes. Active Cruise Control (ACC) with integrated distance control can be used to set the desired riding speed as well as the distance to the vehicle in front.The FCW with brake intervention is designed to prevent collisions and help reduce the severity of accidents, while Lane Change Warning monitors the lanes to the left and right and can help ensure a safe lane change while supporting use of the rear mirror. Personally, I never use these features other than the occasional cruise control on long boring stretches of pavement. The Lane Change Warning is hard to see in the mirror and I’d rather be looking around anyways and not rely on mirrors.
One of the features lacking on other models and brands that has driven me crazy in the past, is the inability to keep the rear-wheel ABS turned off permanently. Luckily, the 1300 offers this as a part of the Enduro Pro setting and will retain the settings even after the bike is fully turned off and then turned back on. If you haven’t had enough of acronyms just yet here is a few more. Engine Drag Torque Control (MSR), Dynamic Brake Assist (DBC) and Hill Start Control (HSC) are standard, as is the Full Integral ABS Pro and Dynamic Traction Control DTC.
And let’s not forget about the most used settings on the modern consumer motorcycles, Ride Modes. I’m not going to get into the details of each riding mode as that would take up the whole article word count and they are becoming very similar across the models and manufacturers. In short, the four riding modes are Eco, Standard, Sport and Enduro. The Enduro mode is the additional standard mode compared to the predecessor. During the off-road I usually had it in Enduro Pro mode which allowed me to turn off the rear ABS permanently and on the street I switched between Standard and Sport depending on the tarmac conditions.
So, how does the BMW Motorrad flagship model perform in real life?
For the first day, we stayed on tarmac for the whole 250-plus km of riding, so the saddled up the base GS model (not the Trophy version) was on the menu with various options installed on each bike but with pretty standard street ergonomics. The peg and seat height were standard and together with the relatively low bar position made for a relatively upright but sporty rider triangle and I found it a little more cramped that I liked for my 6-foot 2-inch frame. However, once the roads quickly got twisty, I started to appreciate the more aggressive stance and quickly found the ergonomics perfect for the amazing mountain roads north of Malaga. I don’t think I would enjoy traveling for days on end in this setup though but thankfully, BMW has an endless supply of options to make cockpit adjustments for all sizes and needs.
Upon the first fire-up of the more street-oriented touring GS model, I was anticipating the characteristic side-to-side motion of the whole bike as the boxer engine came to life. This was strangely absent, or at least very minimal compared to previous boxer engines. You could have yourself convinced that you were on the parallel twin if it wasn’t for the characteristic boxer exhaust note that gave it away, and never mind the two baby head cylinders in front of you.
This motor is something else. The linear delivery makes it easy to tame the 145 hp at your right hand and does not feel like its ripping your arms off. With the EFI and today’s electronics, manufacturers are really making these horsepower monsters easy to ride. The gearbox was relatively smooth, but I can never tell how good the gearbox will be once its broken in. But there was no real notchy-feeling shifting and I did not hit one false neutral during the two days of riding. I did find the quick shifter, or what BMW calls Shift Assistant Pro very good and I was using it pretty much exclusively after a couple of initial hours of clutching every shift, which I like to do in order to evaluate the clutch pull and engagement characteristics.
With me having limited experience on the Telelever and Paralever suspension, I was eager to try the new EVO design. For those used to telescopic forked bikes, the absence of nose-diving during breaking is something to get used to. Apparently, in the past, the absence of the nose-dive which put less pressure on the front tire, led to some under-steer but we didn’t notice any of it during our street pace riding. The suspension was responsive and confidence inspiring. The OEM equipped Metzeler Tourance Next 2 tires paired with the new suspension performed really well on the street with predictable traction in dry and slightly wet conditions in the mornings as we rode into the higher elevations. We even managed to get the bike to a 52-degree lean angle on one occasion without grinding the pegs or as much as a minor slide. Impressive and stable.
The following day, we took the Trophy trim version out for the off-road test of the launch. The Trophy version comes with off-road tires, wider and more aggressive pegs, higher handlebar position, a sport screen and other various options. My bike came with the tall comfort seat and also sport suspension making it the tallest version of the bike in the launch at 890 mm of seat height compared to the standard 850 mm. For my 34-inch inseam and a bony butt, this was a great and comfortable combination. Even though technical off-road trails were limited, the bike felt very balanced and easy to drift while at the same time being very stable in the loose rocks and cobbles that the previous model had issues with. We tested this stability in a short section of deep sand and the bike tracked very well and didn’t feel wallowy as I expected a 550-pound motorcycle to feel. The power delivery once again was smooth and it was a pleasure sliding the rear end around the back roads and double track of the Spanish countryside for a very balanced and control feel. Like mentioned before, the rear ABS was disabled in the Enduro Pro mode as even though the ABS engagement is limited in the Enduro mode, I still feel it’s too much and doesn’t allow to experience the full capability of the bike off-piste. The mass centralization of the motor/transmission package also made the bike feel much lighter than the weight scale was displaying.
At the end of the day, the completely overhauled new BMW Motorrad Adventure big boy on the market was the right move to roll out during the 100-year anniversary of the R32. While I’m sure the purists will be griping over the looks or the headlight, many will get over the minor details and enjoy the truly refined machine from the German manufacturer. Although with the price hovering around the $27,000 mark with the options, the fully loaded version is not for the faint of heart, you can still have this latest flagship at the base price of around $22,000 which is much more digestible.
Pros:
– Fantastic motor
– Much lighter-feeling than the claimed weight
– Fully customizable
Cons:
– Some might say it has too many modes and electronics
– High price bracket
2024 BMW R 1300 GS
– Suggested Retail: Starting from $22,795
– Engine: Air/liquid-cooled four-stroke boxer twin
– Displacement: 1,300 cc
– Bore & Stroke: 106.5 x 73 mm
– Compression Ratio: 13.3:1
– Power: 145 hp at 7,750 rpm
– Torque: 109 ft-lb at 6,500 rpm
– Fuel Delivery: Fuel injected
– Final Drive: Shaft
– Weight: 237 kg (522 lb) wet
– Transmission: Six speed
– Frame: Two-part frame with sub frame bolted on, co-supporting engine
– Wheelbase: 1,5198 mm (59.8 in)
– Seat Height: 850 mm (33.5 in)
– Suspension (front): BMW EVO-Telelever
– Suspension (rear): BMW EVO-Paralever
– Tire (front): 120/70-19
– Tire (rear): 170/60-17
– Brakes (front): Dual 310 mm disc with four-piston radial calipers
– Brakes (rear): 285 mm with two-piston floating caliper
– Fuel Capacity: 19 L
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